How are we going to get out of this? We have an army of undead all around and god knows where we are! I know that there is little to no chance of us surviving, even if we make it through this challenge, there will just be another waiting for us. And while the enemy grows with each fallen survivor our numbers only grow smaller, and our resources dwindle more and more. What’s the point in fighting, if there’s no hope of victory?

Pages

Monday, July 29, 2013

We eventually decided we would
take the Ute and the bike, Caleb and Monica would ride on the bike while Todd,
Wendy and I would be in the Ute. But I had to ride in the back. I had this
weird feeling, like a schoolkid who’s breaking a rule, kind of excited to ride
in the back of a Ute. The rest of the back however had been left empty so in an
emergency, which was likely to occur, we could load the most stuff we could
quickly. It was difficult, splitting up the group, it already felt as if our
situation had been this way forever, and I didn't feel as confident or safe
without some of the people I had begun to rely on. But it had to be done, not
everyone can come to the hospital. Simon, among others, would slow us down.

Almost as soon as we left Caleb
pulled into one of the shops’ car parks and found another helmet for Monica.
For some reason that made me feel safer, like we knew what we were doing and
were prepared. We weren't. We drove along back roads for a long while, often
having to pull over to find a way to the hospital without taking a main road,
or avoid a roadblock. The streets in this area had always been a catacomb, but
a navigable one. But now that the landscape was disfigured by car crashes and
explosions, and the sound of traffic is gone, we sometimes had no idea where we
were or where we were going.

Finally Todd got fed up and we
pulled over beside a house that had a car sticking out of it. Before he had
even left the driver’s seat he was talking, ‘we are never going to get there
like this,’ he sounded frustrated

‘Well what do you suggest?’ I
asked, also frustrated but I knew that there was only one other option: using
main roads, ‘all main roads will be blocked, or infested’

‘Maybe, but maybe we can use the
emergency lanes and nature strips.’ He turned to Caleb before continuing,
‘Caleb, I need you to see if there is space for us to get through.’ Caleb
nodded and drove off, leaving Monica here with us. While we were waiting we got
out the maps again in futile attempt to find another way. When we gave up we
got a more close up map from one of the houses and tried to form a plan of
attack. We decided the best way to do it, assuming we get there, is to have
Caleb drive up and pull some of the dead away from the front while the Ute
drives up the ambulance entrance, from there though we had no idea. We didn't
even know if the hospital kept its medicine on the ground floor.

Caleb returned and had found a
stretch of main road that we would be able to pass through. After that stretch
of road however there was a clear route through smaller streets to the
hospital. Before we started moving again however we made the decision that we
would not use our guns yet, conserve ammo for the hospital. Unless it was an
emergency we would use or axes and melee weapons. Tense and afraid we drove
onto the main road.

We had to drive through a
complicated path, weaving through abandoned cars. At first they were empty but
as we went we began to see dead bodies inside some of the cars, and more in between
the cars. And then they started to move. There were only a few at first,
stumbling through the cars towards the noise of our engines, but then more
appeared. And then I assumed they had realised what was passing through their
den because they began to run at us. There was no were for us to go, we were
surrounded on all sides. Caleb had to stop moving when two deadmen appeared in
front of him.

Monica and Caleb jumped off the
bike, Monica using an axe to smash the head of a deadman as they ran back to
the Ute. I was standing up in the back of the Ute now, my pole at the ready in
case one of the dead got close. Even though we’d previously decided not to
waste our ammo I was thinking about my gun, constantly I was asking myself:
should I use it? When is it too dangerous to not use it? But most of all I began
thinking, what would happen if we died here? Nicole and the others would never
know what had happened to us, either they would give up waiting for us, assume
we’re dead and leave the clinic, or they would stay, constantly hoping that we
were simply delayed. My greatest fear was that they would try to get to the
hospital themselves and get caught in the same trap we did.

Monica and Caleb got on the back
of the Ute with me as the dead got close enough for me to start swinging. I can’t
remember what or who I hit, but I remember feeling the sickening feel of when
the metal strikes through rotting flesh and into bone. Eventually though we had
to stop attacking and start defending, swiping away hands as the dead tried to
pull themselves up. I knocked on the Ute’s back window during a break in the
assault, yelling, ‘drive! Drive!’ Todd nodded jerkily, unbelieving that we
would be able to make our way through the mob that was attacking us.

I heard Wendy scream as a
deadman broke through the passenger side window and hands reached for her. I
heard a gunshot and saw the deadman fly back from the window, his head in
shreds. Wendy had grabbed Todd’s rifle in her fear. I used my pole to protect her
window while still defending my side of the back, we couldn't afford to use any
more ammo. Eventually the mob began to part from the front and we were able to
gain slightly more speed, meaning it was easier to block the dead mob’s desperate
attacks. But we weren't out of danger yet, as we turned around a large truck I was
able to see a stretch of road clear of cars. But full of the dead.

We had moved some of the couches around to block off the
broken windows and closed the curtains. We were lucky that the clinic was
mainly untouched by the dead or by panicked people. We surmised that this was
because the clinic was closed the day the report was broadcast, all the people
working there would have been in the hospital. Health care professionals were
required to get vaccinations as they were released. I wondered why Nicole
hadn't been vaccinated, but I guessed it was because she was on holidays, no
need to get vaccinated immediately. I thanked, once again, whatever was
watching over us that she hadn't been more prepared for her return to
university, I don’t know how we would handle things without her.

We had decided that we shouldn’t jump to conclusions, just
because this pharmacy was cleaned out doesn’t mean all of them are. We spent
the rest of that day clearing out the remaining rooms for anything useful, and
then as we settled down for dinner Todd, Wendy, Nicole, Daniel, Brooke, Caleb
and I began discussing our options. ‘So,’ Todd began, ‘our problem is that most
pharmacies would be the first target of people like us, survivors who aren’t
relying or waiting on the government.’ What are we waiting for? I wondered, but
this conversation was not about that, and I had no desire to discuss that
subject.

‘But how do we know that the hospital hasn’t also been
cleaned out?’ Daniel asked

‘Well,’ Nicole replied, ‘anyone with sense would know not to
go there it’s infested with the dead’

‘And anyone with that little sense to try would be killed,’
Caleb added grimly

‘So does that include us?’ I asked, not trying to be
sarcastic but truly asking the question

‘Well, we’re not out of options yet,’ Todd answered, ‘we
should at least try some of the other pharmacies near here before we go on a
suicide mission.’

…

Todd and Caleb took the bike out the next day to scout out
several pharmacies we had found on the map. I practiced cleaning my new, and
not wanted, gun. We had found some more ammo on the dead marauder-we still
weren’t sure what to call them-so that meant I had a full clip and Brooke had a
few more bullets in her revolver. As Brooke showed me how to reload I finally
had the time, and the courage, to ask a question I had been meaning to ask
since she had pulled the revolver out of her bag, ‘where did you learn to
shoot?’ She froze slightly before answering

‘My father taught me,’ she said, not looking me in the eyes

‘Who was he?’

‘He was a soldier,’ she smiled slightly at the memory, ‘and a
bit of a gun nut. But not in a bad way,’ she said quickly, now looking at me,
‘the first thing he taught me was where the safety was’

‘Is he…’ I paused, not knowing how to ask

‘He’s dead,’ she answered, going back to not looking at me. I
continued my lesson, not talking much anymore, I wondered if his death was why
she didn’t say much about herself, or whether there was another reason.

We all stopped what we were doing when we heard the sound of
Caleb’s bike. Through a hole we had purposefully left we saw both of them,
seemingly unharmed returning. But they didn’t look happy. They explained to us
that none of the three pharmacies they had checked out had any medicine left in
them, in fact at the last one they saw the marauder’s cars driving away and hid
so they didn’t see them. I was disappointed they had not run into trouble yet,
but I wondered why they were still raiding pharmacies, were they looking for a
more specific, rare drug, or were they stockpiling for the long run. Whatever
they were doing there was no doubt in any of our minds that searching other
pharmacies was pointless, the hospital was our only choice.

But bad news and bleak futures had to wait, when we got the
good news that Simon was fully awake, albeit with a raging fever. Daphne,
Nicole and I went into see him, we had set him up on one of the clinic beds and
Nicole had given him an IV. He rubbed his head not yet registering his
surroundings ‘Daphne? Where are we?’

‘Simon, relax,’ Nicole told him, pushing to keep lying down
on the bed

‘You were in a car accident,’ Daphne told him, her voice
wavering at the memory, ‘I’m fine but you wear injured. You’re fine now, but
you’ve got an infection’

‘We’re trying to get medicine for you,’ I said, trying to
keep everyone calm and hopeful

‘Will?’ he looked at me, realising finally where he is and
who is with him, ‘what are you doing here?’ Then we had to go through a
horrifying experience of telling him what had happened, he apparently had lost
all memory of the day leading up to the crash, but Nicole said that was not
rare after such an accident. It was terrible having to do that, it brought back
all the original feelings of seeing that woman being attacked, and the phone
call with my father. At one point Daphne had to leave the room, but eventually
he had him calm and fully aware of the situation.

Nicole, Todd and I talked that night about how we would
approach the hospital issue. ‘We shouldn’t all go,’ Nicole started, and she
sounded sure

‘Well I’m going,’ said Todd, sounding almost offended by the
concept of staying behind

‘I’d like to go too,’ I added, I let them believe that I was
worried about their safety and that I wanted to help. But I knew the truth, I
wanted to find my family, my father may still be alive, my sister may still be
one of the dead, and my mother may be one to by now if the dead didn’t kill her
before she turned. ‘Alright,’ began Todd, confused by the shortness of my
reply, ‘so that’s me, you, Caleb should come, we could use his experience’

‘He scouted the hospital once!’ Nicole exclaimed

‘Any experience would be useful,’ Todd argued

‘Well Brooke should stay here, at least one person left behind
should be able to use a gun’

‘Well I’m not letting you go without me,’ Wendy interrupted
us. Todd sighed, I don’t think he was happy about it but he knew it was
pointless to argue with her ‘I would like to come too,’ said Monica, appearing
from behind Wendy, and then said nothing more. In fact I think this is the
first I heard her speak since we met her. ‘There we go then,’ Todd said, quick
to finish this conversation before others volunteered, ‘Will, Caleb, Wendy,
Monica and I will go to the hospital and the rest will stay here.’ They begun
to discuss what vehicles they would take while I walked away, breathing
heavily. I wondered what choice I had just made, and what consequences it would
have.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

I saw Nicole fall to the ground as I heard Todd yell out and
shoot the man who shot her in the chest. The rest of the men turned and began
firing as we scattered, each of us diving behind one form of barrier or
another. Glass exploded as some of their shots hit the windows behind us. I
heard Monica make a small scream as she was showered with glass. I couldn't
stop thinking about Nicole, was she hurt badly? Was she dead? I was glad Todd
had shot the man, but I knew that meant that him and Brooke only had one bullet
left each. And from the way the men were firing I could tell they weren't
worried about conserving ammo.

But then, as if a miracle, they stopped firing and I heard
their leader swear and they ran past us, barely taking notice of us or their
fallen comrade. I couldn't even bear to look until I heard tyre screeches as
they drove away. I opened my eyes and looked through the window to see what had
scared them away. It was two of the dead, slowly shuffling towards the clinic,
attracted by the gunshots. We all moved swiftly and silently behind the
counter, from the way they moved they were not, as of yet, aware of our
presence. Collectively we held our breaths. If the clinic was overrun, and from
that direction, then we wouldn't be able to reach the cars in time. And what if
Nicole was wounded and unable to move? And it’s unlikely that Simon’s tests
were already done. I froze at the realization that if Daniel or Daphne came out
from the room they could alert the deadmen to our presence, if it wasn't
already known.

Tentatively I raised my head just enough so that I could see
the deadmen and whether they were still approaching the clinic. We were lucky.
The dead had heard and seen the other men running from the clinic and had turned
to follow them instead, I doubted they would ever catch up or even chase them
to the end of the street. They seemed to be shuffling along with disinterest as
opposed to the mad primal hunger that they usually attack with. But for now we
were safe. Or at least, most of us were.

‘Nicole!’ I heard Todd say, half screaming half whispering.
We ran over to where she lay, there was lots of blood but our luck seemed to
continue as the bullet seemed to only have grazed her arm. I was filled with
relief and gratitude to whatever was watching over us. Nicole, who had joined
us while crying almost hysterically, had become the most level-headed of us. We
needed her to keep us sane as well as safe. She seemed to be in shock, which
was appropriate considering what had happened. As she moaned and began to
realise her surroundings Daniel emerged from behind the door. ‘We heard
gunshots,’ he began, then his tone changed from fear to concern when he saw
Nicole, ‘Nicole! Are you alright?’ we helped her sit up

‘I’ll be fine,’ she replied wearily, inspecting her wound.

As Daniel and Brooke got supplies, quietly, from the Ute to
dress Nicole’s injury I joined Todd beside the dead shooter. Todd was obviously
a good shot, the bullet went right into his chest. The others had been in such
a hurry to leave they had left the supplies he had on his person. Unfortunately
for us he was not one of the people who were carrying the medicine bags. He
was, however, carrying a rifle. I looked at Todd as he picked it up ‘Do you
know how to use it?’ I asked

‘I think so,’ he replied, and continued to pick up some ammo
off the dead man and reload it. I took that as a yes, but then Todd shocked me
by handing me the policeman’s weapon, saying, ‘it’d be best if we increase the
number of people with guns by as many as we can’

‘I don’t know how to use a gun!’ I spluttered

‘I’ll teach you,’ he replied stoically. I was taken back, not
only by his blasé approach but at the very idea of using a gun. I knew it would
be something I would have to learn in the future, but I had always considered
guns to be… bad. They only cause death or pain, and as much as I wanted to
protect myself and those around me, it wasn't an idea I could get used to
easily.

I couldn't even believe that Todd had killed a man, maybe
that was why he was so eagerly teaching me how to shoot and handing me a gun.
Even if he knew how to shoot a gun I doubted he had ever shot a man, and I also
doubted he was unaffected by his actions today, I knew he should talk to
someone but that would have to wait, there were more important matters at hand.

Almost as soon as her wounds were dressed Nicole had leapt
off the bed we had put her on and was looking at Simon’s scans. I walked over
to her, my new-and unwelcome-weapon in a make-shift holster Todd had made. She
noticed me coming over and preempted my question, ‘he’s fine, there are no
problems here,’ she paused and we walked away from the scans as she continued, ‘but
his fever is worse, I think he’s got an infection’

‘It’s not’- I began, horrified at the thought of having an
infected friend to deal with

‘No, I don’t think so, Daphne says he didn't get vaccinated
and there was no blood on him besides his own so there is no way he got
infected. It’s probably just from the accident and riding around in a Ute, and
on a motorbike,’ she looked like she could find a dozen more examples of how he
could have got infected so I interrupted her

‘The men took everything, well except some pregnancy tests
and tampons but I doubt Simon will have much use for those’

‘You know what this means then’

‘Yeah,’ I paused, hating that I had to say it, ‘we’re gonna
need to go to the hospital.’

We had finally gotten the vehicles ready to leave, all our
supplies that we didn't keep on our person were loaded onto the back of the Ute
along with Monica. Nicole, Brooke, Daniel, Simon, Daphne and I were in the
people carrier, Caleb was still on his bike while Todd and Wendy were in the
Ute. As we drove along I saw dead bodies along the side of the road as well as
in the middle of it, we did our best to avoid them but at one point I had to
close my eyes to block out the sickening crunch as we accidentally ran one over.
At least these people were too… damaged... to turn. We did see a few deadmen in
one of the buildings we drove past but either they didn't notice us or we weren't
an enticing enough prize for them to chase us. Meanwhile we were getting closer
and closer to the clinic.

As we got closer I turned to Nicole in the seat next to me ‘so
what are we looking for?’ I asked

‘Anything that could be useful but primarily painkillers and
antibiotics,’ she replied, ‘look for things ending in –mycin. While you guys
look for stuff I want to get Simon checked out,’ she continued, turning to
Daphne, ‘I’ll need you and Daniels help in getting him there and keeping him
calm, I just hope everything there’s still working.’ I hadn't even realised
that was a possibility, but the I realised all the car crashes, explosions and
destruction I've seen over the last few days and realised it was all too
possible. Part of me hated Brooke for putting us in this situation. As I remembered
what had happened, I realised that none of us had really discussed it since. I
turned to Brooke in the seat in front of me, a little nervous to be approaching
a possibly awkward subject. ‘How did the accident happen anyway Brooke?’ I asked,
trying to sound nonchalant

‘I lost control,’ Brooke replied, shrugging, ‘I was trying to
avoid pedestrians and abandon cars and I swerved then I lost control.’ I could
tell she was tense and either she was hiding something or was scared of the memory,
but I didn't press the matter. We had arrived at the clinic.

Caleb pulled up into the clinic car park as we approached,
with a quick head check he saw that it was clear and waved us forward. But he
then stopped and curiously inspected a few cars that were parked irregularly in
the car park, there were no bodies or belongings in the cars so we assumed that
they didn't belong to people fleeing their homes, the possibility crossed my
mind that maybe another group like us was here, this gave me hope, but also
fear of the change and new dangers they could bring. Daniel, Daphne, Nicole and
Simon entered the pharmacy and quickly headed inside to find the machines, we
were all tense but we were careful not to make a sound, we had no idea what
threats, alive or dead, awaited us.

I made sure Nicole had found the machines, we were in luck
and they were all still working. As Nicole and her group got to work the rest
of us found where we could find supplies. Caleb and Wendy went into the offices
and began to take equipment that could be useful, I’m sure Nicole could use a
stethoscope. The rest of us began to move toward the pharmacy but as we got
closer we saw that the shelves were empty. We stopped completely when we heard
movement. There were other people in the pharmacy.

I swallowed before I shifted closer, Todd and Brooke behind
me, guns at the ready. ‘Hello?’ I called out. A man about Brooke’s age
appeared, holding a rifle, these people were clearly better armed. Todd, Brooke
and I relaxed slightly knowing that we weren't about to be attacked by the
dead. Then several others appeared, similarly armed and aged, some were
carrying large, full bags that I assumed held the medication from the pharmacy.
‘Well well well,’ the first man said, smiling slightly but it didn't ease my
tension. I didn't trust these people as readily I had trusted Caleb, Brooke and
Monica. Maybe it was because of the guns. I had a feeling I shouldn't start off
making demands for medicine so instead I simply said, ‘I’m glad to see there
are still others alive’ he laughed, short and raspy

‘You can bet there are many more people alive still,’ he
said, he hadn't moved since he appeared, his hand still on his rifle

‘Still, it’s a good sight,’ I exaggerated a little. I
swallowed before I got to the matter at hand, ‘my friend is hurt, we came here
looking for medicine to help him, antibiotics and painkillers’

‘There was plenty of those here,’ he replied, still smiling,
a smile that didn't reach his eyes. I looked at the full bags, then at their
guns ‘would you be willing to share some?’ I asked hesitantly

‘I’m afraid we can’t do that,’ he replied, no longer smiling.
His friends clutched their guns harder, Todd and Brooke did the same.

‘Maybe we can make a deal?’ I asked, no longer hesitating,
but backing up a little

‘And what do you have that we don’t’ he asked, gesturing to
their guns and medicine. I had to think quickly ‘uh, we have a car parked out
front, a people-carrier, a new one’

‘Haven’t you seen all these abandoned cars around?’ he asked,
smiling again, ‘I bet I could find ten cars around that I didn't have to trade
medicine for.’ I realised there was no way we were getting the medicine without
a fight, and there was no way we would win one.

I gestured to Brooke and Todd to back off as I backed away,
muttering quietly, ‘alright, I guess you’ll be going then.’ The man began to
leave, smiling truthfully now, cocky and arrogant. I clenched my fists, wishing
there was something I could do. After all that we have done so far, all that we
had accomplished, we were still powerless here. I wasn't thinking about Simon
or the others here, I was simply afraid, realizing how vulnerable, and I was
angry. Angry at this man for making me feel like this, and at myself for being
useless. As I wallowed in my sadness Nicole walked out suddenly from the
machine room, not looking up. One of the younger of the strangers turned at her
sudden appearance and, already having a tense grip on his gun, fired. Then all
hell broke loose.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

This time we were prepared for them, we got into our
vehicles, Wendy, Nicole, Monica, Daniel and me in the 4WD, Caleb on the bike
and Todd and Daphne in the Ute, Brooke with Simon in the back. While Simon had
shown signs of waking up, he had fallen back asleep, a blessing I thought. I didn't
want him freaking out in the middle of an attack. I checked the fuel gauge on
the 4WD, we had managed to get it almost full before we left, and hopefully
that would be enough to escape from the horde. We began to drive away but the
Ute seemed to be dragging its feet, part of me itched to tell Nicole to stop
and see what they were doing, but from what I could get from Brooke's posture
and expression, this was according to plan. With ear though I wondered whether
they were planning to sacrifice themselves to buy us time.

The horde was getting closer to them and us, Nicole and Caleb
had obviously also noticed their lack of speed and slowed to see what they were
doing. Brooke was now having to fire shots at the front runners of the horde,
she seemed a bit more panicked now, and she was beckoning us to keep driving.
Nicole kept driving but Caleb turned and began to drive back for them. I rolled
down the window, leaned at and yelled as loud as I could back to Caleb, ‘no
stop! Come back!’ Caleb stopped and turned around in his seat but he looked
confused and conflicted. Brooke seemed to be out bullets and the main section
of the horde was now stampeding through the petrol station. Brooke raised her
gun and it was then that I realised what her and Todd were planning and I yelled
for Caleb to get down as she fired and hit one of the petrol tanks in the
station.

The explosion was large and loud and I regretted opening my
window, not that it would have made a difference as the shockwave blow out the
back window of the 4WD. I shook my head and my hearing returned to normal, I got
out of my car and ran towards Caleb who had been knocked off his bike. He was
grabbing his arm in pain but otherwise he seemed alright. The plan had worked,
the explosion took out a large portion of the horde and blocked off most of the
rest. Todd and Brooke, who had recovered the most, were now taking out the
incapacitated dead using the axes to conserve ammo, I assumed we had already
used most of it. Nicole had also recovered and helped me get Caleb up and was
taking a look at his arm, ignore his cries of ‘I’m fine, I’m fine.’ Wendy
walked over and punched Todd in the face sending him sprawling, then screamed ‘you
idiot!’ at the top of her lungs, then hugged him.

…

We spent the night there, using abandoned cars and the
wreckage to form a sort of wall around us. Simon had finally woken up and was
resting upright in the Ute with Daphne and Nicole watching over him, filling
him in on what was going on. I walked over to Caleb who was making sure the
bike hadn't been damaged by the explosion. He saw me and nodded but didn't say
anything so I started, ‘thanks for today, you were great’

‘No I wasn't’ he replied, not stopping his work, ‘all I did
was attracted a horde of zombies then almost get myself killed in an explosion
we caused trying to stop them’

‘But you also lead us safely, and you only attracted the
horde because we sent you to the hospital,’ I suddenly remembered that we hadn't
talked about that yet. ‘What was the hospital like?’ he froze at the question,
it took him a few moments to answer. ‘The horde came from there,’ he began, and
I hoped that by drawing it away he had increased our chances, but as he went on
he dashed my hopes, ‘but that was only a tenth of what was at the hospital.’ I
sighed, but it wasn't any different than I expected, Nicole walked over,
hearing the end of the conversation. ‘We have to find another way then,’ she
said calmly, leaning against one of the cars

‘Does Simon show signs of infection?’ I asked

‘Maybe, he has a slight fever, but once again, I’m not a
doctor,’ she stressed that last part

‘But you’re the best we've got,’ Caleb said, finally standing
away from the bike, ‘what about a pharmacy? Would that have the medicine we’re
looking for?’

‘Possibly,’ Nicole replied, then an idea came to her, ‘there’s
a clinic near Fountain Gate that has a pharmacy, but it also might have an MRI
or an X-ray machine, something I can use
better assess his injuries.’ I gave her a playful punch on the arm, smiling,
‘who needs a doctor huh?’

…

We set off the next morning, moving towards the clinic,
hoping that it would be clear. Daniel had made the helpful point that any of
the original infected would have been brought to the hospital when they began
vomiting up blood, so it wasn't likely that we would find newly risen dead
there. The previous night Todd and Brooke had taken inventory on our ammo,
although once again the question of where Brooke got her knowledge from went
unasked. The gun we got of the dead policeman had only two shots left and
Brooke’s revolver had only one left. We couldn't afford to get into another
fire fight.

We came across another roadblock of abandoned cars, there was
no way around that we could risk. We had to leave the Ute and the 4WD, we
loaded the semi-conscious Simon on the bike behind Caleb while the rest of us carried
the most supplies we could carry and as quietly as we could through the maze of
cars. I was both sad and happy to say goodbye to my mother’s car, sad that we
had to leave it behind when we had gotten used to it, but happy to leave behind
another reminder of a world now gone. Once we got through to a clearer street
we found two cars that weren't trapped, had fuel, and still had their keys: a
people-carrier and another, newer, Ute. This time however we took Simon and put
him in the people carrier, using the back of the Ute for supplies. We were so
busy and focused on getting our new set-up prepared we didn't see the other cars
driving towards the clinic.

I don’t even remember what I yelled, but I remember yelling.
Everyone was suddenly in motion, nobody really knew what the others were doing
but they knew what had to be done. I ran to the garage, Brooke and Nicole were
already there, getting ready to leave. Brooke had a terrified look on her face
but Nicole looked strangely calm, they had loaded all the first aid supplies
into the back with Simon and they hopped on as me and Daniel got in the front
two seats. As we drove out we saw Todd and Monica carrying supplies out to my
mother’s car, Wendy and Daphne were already in the car, calling at them to move
faster. The sound of Caleb’s bike was closer now, but I also began to hear the
growls and drones of the dead horde behind him.

He broke down the barrier in the fence as he entered our
street, barely slowing down as he checked that everyone was ready. We all began
to drive out of the street, but more dead, attracted by the noise, began to
enter from the house and streets near us as dead began to stream through the
hole in the fence. Once again I can’t remember what I said but I know I shouldn't
repeat it in polite company. Caleb was in the most danger being at the front
and on a bike, but I was also worried about Nicole, Brooke and Simon in the
back. But then I heard Brooke say something as she grabbed her bag, ‘don’t
worry about us.’ And then she pulled out a revolver we never knew she had from
her bag.

I accelerated, swerving around Caleb on his bike and knocked
through the line of dead moving towards us, I turned slightly and heard Brooke
fire some shots into the ones remaining. I don’t know how many she hit or
killed because I couldn't bear to turn around but we had obviously made a gap
in their ranks because I saw Caleb’s bike and my mother’s car drive passed me.
I began to breathe easier, but my breath stopped all over again as I heard a
scream then a gunshot, I span my head around and saw that one of the dead had
reach us, grabbed Nicole but Brooke had shot it, straight through the head,
almost immediately. I made a mental note to ask her where she got her training
later. But there were no time for questions, Nicole banged on the window and
yelled, ‘go! Go!’ I drove off before anymore dead could reach us, but I realised
with dread that the dead were still chasing us, and the gunshots would only
attract more, it wasn't over yet.

…

We had driven for what seemed like forever, we never came as
close to being caught as we were originally, but we could always see the horde
chasing us. It had dwindled some, I guessed some of the dead had found other
victims or simply gave up, but the majority were still chasing us. Throughout
the drive none of us said a word, we were all to tense, but the atmosphere had
changed from a panicky fear to a fierce determination to survive, but it was
quickly changing again to tired, and desperate. Caleb was at the head, leading
us down the roads he felt, or guessed, were safest and clear of deadmen or
abandoned cars. My biggest worry however was not running into another wall of
dead or a traffic jam, but running out of fuel. We hadn't filled the cars since
we found them, I didn't even remember how full they were when we started or
what fuel they used but the Ute at least was running low.

I managed to communicate my worries to Nicole, and I accelerated
until I was side-by-side with Todd, and then Caleb and she yelled across what
was going on, and they shouted back that they had the same concerns. Caleb was
now shouting something else, ‘I’ll lead to a petrol station, and we can refuel
there’

‘Is that wise?’ Nicole asked, also shouting, ‘won’t they
catch up?’ Todd he had moved forward and now the three of us were driving in
sync

‘We’ll have some time,’ Todd shouted, ‘me and Brooke will
hold them off using the ammo we have, besides, I've got a plan.’ I didn't have
time to shout back and see what he was planning as I had to break suddenly to
avoid crashing into an abandoned car. I almost broke too much and allowed the
horde to reach us but I managed to accelerate just enough to avoid them. We got
into a formation with Caleb at the front, the Ute in the middle and the heavier
car at the back. Even if she didn't use it before I was now glad my mother
drove a 4 wheel drive.

I cursed these small roads, the turns, round-abouts and
islands prevented us from gaining much speed. But we soon got onto a main road
that by luck wasn't clogged up with cars, we were lucky we were going in the
opposite direction that most people were fleeing to. This allowed us to gain
some time, which would prove helpful when we stopped. The dead horde were
getting further and further away, almost until they were out of sight, but I still
knew they were chasing us, the sounds of other survivors had stopped, there
were no more people alive in this area to distract them. None that were making
any noise anyway.

We pulled into the petrol station and jumped out, everyone
went straight into action. Daniel, who apparently knew what fuel the Ute used
started filling up the tank as Wendy filled up the 4WD and Caleb was filling up
his bike. Even Daphne had forgotten her concern for her boyfriend and helped
Monica quickly grab what might be useful from the store inside. As Nicole and I
quickly re-bandaged what we could of Simon’s wounds I saw out the corner of my
eye Todd and Brooke discussing something. I couldn't hear what they were saying
but I guessed it had to do with Todd’s plan, and it was obviously insane
judging by Brooke’s reaction. But my attention was brought back to the matter
at hand as Simon groaned, I was slightly relieved, at least he was waking up,
but I wished we had more time to tend to him instead of ignoring him as we
continued preparing.

Todd ran up to me after a short while, talking quickly, ‘Will,
listen, I need you to move into the 4WD’

‘What?’ I asked, ‘why? Does this have something to do with
your plan?’

‘I don’t have time to explain, I need to be driving the Ute
when we leave.’ Against my curious and inquisitive nature I relented and ran
over to the 4WD, Todd had obviously become more confident since he ran away
from his leadership role. And I was all too happy to let him return to it.
Daphne came over and asked how Simon was ‘he’s waking up,’ I answered, but
grabbed her when she started to run over to him ‘there isn't time,’ I continued,
‘you can see him later, for now let’s just survive.’ My point was made all the
more relevant when Brooke, who was keeping watch, ran over shouting, ‘they’re
here they’re here!’ I took a deep breath and prepared myself for what was to
come.

Monday, July 22, 2013

We waited for Caleb’s return with bated breath, I was sitting
in the Ute when Daphne came over to me, tears still marking her face. ‘What are
we waiting for?’ she asked quietly and impatiently

‘Caleb went to see how bad the hospital is and whether we can
get medicine for Simon there,’ I answered slowly, trying to keep her calm. She
made a sound a bit like an impatient sigh and walked away. I tried to block out
the sound of people screaming and running and listen for the sound of Caleb’s
motorbike, but I was interrupted by Daphne returning, ‘Who is this guy anyway?’

‘You guess?’ Daphne had raised her voice, ‘so we don’t even know
if this guy’s going to come back but we’re just waiting here like idiots?’ I
snapped, all the frustration I had over my situation lashed out at her, ‘look,
we don’t have to risk our lives for your boyfriend but we’re going to, and
right now no one is at as much risk than Caleb, he’s all alone, so you can
either leave and take Simon with you or you can stay’- I calmed down and slowed
my voice ‘-and trust us.’ She looked at me, on the brink of tears again and walked
away, I regretted what I said but it felt satisfying to let go for once. Nicole
came around and sat in the Ute, a knowing expression on her face, ‘did that
feel good?’

‘Yes,’ I said guilefully

‘Good,’ she replied. Then she hit me, hard, on the am and
left the Ute.

I heard another car crash and a scream, and more people
filled the streets as those that were taking their time or were slowing down
due to fatigue were invigorated by the sight of several deadmen lumbering
towards them. Some saw the hole that Brooke’s car had caused in the fence and
used that to flee the crowded streets, unfortunately the dead had seen it too
and began pursuing the escaping people. I got out of the car and began to help
Todd block the hole with the broken piece of fence. But before we did we let
the last few alive people through, those that weren’t tackled to the ground by
the dead, we managed to block the hole before the deed got through and with the
help of some others we stopped the dead from breaking it all over again. Some
of the people that made it through had stopped running and were gasping for
breath.

I turned to Todd, ‘you should say something’

‘What?’ Todd replied, shocked, ‘Why?’

‘Well you’re sort of our leader, and some of these people
could help, you should ask them to stay’

‘No, Will, no!’ Todd backed away, ‘I’m not your leader, and I’m
not saying anything.’ He almost ran back to the cars as Nicole walked over to
me, watching Todd walk past her she asked, ‘What’s going on?’

‘Nothing,’ I replied as I jumped on top of Brooke’s crashed
car and raised my voice, but only slightly, afraid I might attract more of the
dead. ‘Um, excuse me,’ I began, and several people turned to look at me, ‘the
hospitals and the police stations aren’t safe, many people will go there and
some will be infected, and if they panic there will be a stampede like the one
you were just in. Me and my friends don’t have a plan yet but we’re thinking of
one, and if any of you think you can keep your head in what’s going on or even
if you are willing and able to fight we can use you. We have supplies but not
much, we’re considering going to the hospital to get medicine for my friend,’ I
looked over at Simon and Brooke in the Ute, ‘so we could sure use all the help
we can get. It’s getting late, we’re most likely going to stay the night here,
anyone can join us, all you have to do is ask.’ I couldn’t read the expression
on their faces, and I didn’t know what to say next so I just ended, ‘um…
than-thank you.’ I hopped down off the car as most of the people I addressed
left, muttering things like ‘they’re insane’ or ‘idiots’ some just ran, barely
even interpreting what I had said. I realised that this was a good thing,
anyone who didn’t trust me or couldn’t stay calm and logical would only prove
detrimental in the long run.

Eventually there were only two people remaining of the dozen I
addressed, but my disappointment was short-lived as I realised I recognised one
of them. ‘Daniel!’ I exclaimed, and Wendy and Nicole, hearing me came over and
embraced him, although he still seemed quite in shock. I put aside my joy in
finding an old friend and walked over to the other new ally. She was a woman
around my age, dark-skinned and fit, from the outfit she was wearing I guessed
she ran a lot, and was running when the dead attacked, she was wearing a stoic
expression on her face. ‘Hi, I’m Will,’ I introduced myself, extending my hand. She took a deep breath and stared at my hand but her facial expression did not
change, I assumed she was weighing her options. After a few more deep breaths
she shook my hand and said simply, ‘Monica.’ I nodded and we stood there for a
few more moments before I turned to Daniel and my jubilation returned, I could
tell I wasn’t getting much more out of Monica.

Monica had joined Todd, Daphne and Wendy in my mother’s car
while Daniel was catching up with Nicole in the Ute. I hoped Nicole, who had
calmed down considerably since we found her, could help Daniel snap out of his stupor.
I went and talked with Brooke, curious about our new member ‘so,’ I began, not
sure where to start, ‘how old are you?’ she grinned

‘You know it’s rude to ask a woman that,’ she said, but I could
tell the smile and humorous remark were hiding her true feelings, she then answered
my question, ‘32’

‘Any family?’

‘No’ but I wasn’t sure that was the truth, based on how
quickly she answered my question. I realised this was useless, and decided to
ask the question I wanted to ask, ‘you don’t have to stay and help you know,
you have the same choice Daniel and Monica just made.’ Brooke looked through
the Utes back window and at Daniel, who now seemed to be deep in conversation
with Nicole. She shook her head, ‘No, I have to stay, I caused this,’ she
nodded at Simon, ‘I have to help. Besides, I think you kids are right, you seem
intelligent and organised enough, I think I can trust you’

‘Good,’ I said smiling, it was hard not to like this woman. I
looked at Simon, changing the subject I went on, ‘when it gets dark, it’ll be
too cold to keep him here’

‘Yes I agree,’ Brooke replied nodding, ‘we should take him
inside’

‘No,’ I said, stopping her, ‘it’ll be too hard to get moving
again in an emergency,’ I thought hard for a few moments, ‘let’s park the Ute
in a garage, that should help a bit, and get some clean blankets to keep him
warm, that way we can just drive off if we need to.’ Brooked, nodded and we got
it set up. Before long everyone had a place to sleep, a few of us in the cars,
some in the houses, and always two people on guard. Wendy and I were just about
to start our shift when we finally, blessedly, heard the sound of a motorbike,
Caleb was coming back. Then my face dropped as I saw through my vantage point a
horde of the dead chasing after him.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

We got back on the road and heading towards Daphne’s,
disappointed that we hadn't found Sebastian and worried for him, but empowered
by our discovery. The gun however did not make me feel any safer, it was a tool
of violence and its presence reminded us of exactly how much our world had
changed. But I had no more time to analyse my feelings, as we got closer to Daphne’s
the sounds of screams and cars got closer, I remembered that Daphne’s is close
to the hospital. Memories of my father’s last moments came flooding back and I paled
and shivered. Nicole noticed in the driver’s seat and asked, ‘are you alright?’

‘Fine,’ I said, defensive, but then I sighed, ‘of course I’m
not OK my entire family’s dead-or worse-and yet I've got to get over it and
move on, move forward’

‘I know what you mean,’ Nicole’s voice was sad and serious, ‘I
don’t even know what’s happened to my family but I have to resist the urge to
leave you guys and search for them like a crazy person.’ We both laughed

‘Now that’s something I can see you doing,’ we laughed for a
few moments longer before I continued, ‘thanks Nicole, I needed that.’ She
smiled back

‘Anytime.’

We finally made it to Daphne’s, the sounds of the chaos so
loud now that we were all incredibly on edge. More than we were before anyway.
At least we were more successful here than we were before, before we even
stopped we saw Daphne and her boyfriend Simon exiting the house and entered
their car. They still didn't stop when they saw us pull up and we quickly
jumped out of our cars and ran to stop them before they took off. I stood in
front of their car and that’s when they saw me, I heard Daphne say in
disbelief, ‘Will?’ But the conversation never moved on as an out-of-control car
crashed through a fence from the main road behind Daphne’s street and slammed
into the side of Daphne’s car. I was thrown to the ground by the impact, I hit
my head and blacked out.

I woke up with a start and sat
up, I sat up to fast and blood rushed to my head, adding to the pounding and
the pain. I was grateful that I took that leather jacket, as it prevented
several potential bad grazes but I had still hit my head and blood ran down the
side of my head from a cut on the side of my head. I slowly returned to reality
as I heard Nicole’s yells as she rushed towards where I lay, ‘Will! Will!’ As
she reached me I slowly turned my head and surveyed the situation. Daphne’s car
was trashed, as was the car that crashed into it, but she was standing outside
the car, dazed and with what looked like a deep cut on her arm, Todd seemed to
be yelling at her but she wasn't looking at him. Caleb and someone I didn't
recognize were pulling someone from Daphne’s car, Simon I guessed. I saw through the new hole in the fence people running and screaming, and many abandoned cars filled the road. Wendy joined
Nicole with some supplies from our car, when Nicole pressed a bandage with
antiseptic onto my wound the stinging pain finally brought me back to reality.

‘Ah!’ I exclaimed, pulling away,
but Wendy and Nicole grabbed me and held me still. They finally let me go when
Nicole had finished bandaging my head

‘Are you alright?’ She asked

‘I’ll be
fine,’ I said as they helped me up, I was barely listening to a word they said,
consumed by worry for my friends. Nicole went over and began helping Todd with
Daphne’s injuries. I ran, as best I could with a concussion, over to Caleb as
he and the woman pulled Simon from the car, with Wendy running along beside me.
Simon was covered in blood and unconscious. ‘Oh my god!’ Daphne had seen Simon,
snapped out of it and was now crying hysterically at his side. The woman turned
to us, ‘he’s badly hurt’

‘We have to get him to a
hospital,’ Caleb said

‘We can’t,’ the woman said, ‘that’s
where everyone is running from,’ she took a deep breath, ‘when the vaccinated
people got sick they were taken to the hospital, its overrun.’ Nicole had dressed Daphne’s wound and Todd
pulled her away towards the car, Nicole turned to us. ‘Nicole,’ I said,
thinking, ‘you’re a med student now right?’ Nicole looked down at Simon’s state
and backed away

‘No no no,’ she said scared, ‘this
is way beyond first aid, Will’

‘Well we can’t go to the hospital,
we have to do something now,’ I turned to Caleb, ‘go get the supplies from the Ute.’
I grabbed Nicole’s hands and looked her in the eyes, ‘you can do this, I have
first aid training, I can help’ the woman took of her jacket and knelt beside
Simon

‘Me too,’ she said

‘Who are you anyway?’

‘Brooke, I’m a store manager at
K-mart. I-I was the driver of the other car,’ she looked ashamed at the last
part

‘Are you hurt?’

‘No I’m fine.’ Caleb returned
with the supplies and we turned to Nicole who still looked distressed and she
looked over to Daphne, still crying in the car. She knelt down with us and got
to work.

After a while and using up half
of our supplies we felt comfortable moving him. Todd and Caleb had made a stretcher
which we used to load him into the back of the Ute, Nicole and Brooke joined
him ‘we’ll take care of him,’ Nicole told me, ‘but he’ll need antibiotics,
which we don’t have’

‘Let’s just see what happens
before we make any decisions,’ Todd said

‘No Todd, even if he doesn't need antibiotics he should have
them, and we’ll need them sooner or later, we should go to the hospital’

‘I’ll think about it.’ Caleb had found a working motorbike
and went to find out the state of the hospital while Todd, Wendy and I discussed
our plans. Eventually we decided Nicole was right, we had to go the hospital,
but I held my reservations, but I think they may have been less concern for the
safety of the group and more fear of what I would discover there.

Friday, July 19, 2013

As it turns at no one got any
sleep that night, whether we were too on edge or afraid our nightmares would be
worse than reality, we all stayed awake. At one point around 3 am I jumped at
the sound of a siren in the distance. After the fear subsided I was strangely
comforted, at least it was a sign that there were more people alive out there. When
I turned I saw Todd, Wendy and Nicole sitting around a lamp silently. I got up
and joined them, Nicole looked at me as I sat ‘I’ve decided to come with you,’
she said, I could tell from her tone she had calmed down and made up her mind, ‘it’s
the best chance I have to find my family’

‘You don’t think they’ll come
back?’ I asked, while I wanted Nicole to join us, I didn’t want her to lose her
family

‘No, if they thought they’d find
me here they would have stayed. I think they would have gone to the police.’ I
nodded slowly, it made sense, but it didn’t make things easier ‘but they’re
probably not still there,’ I said, trying to play out the scenario in my mind, ‘a
large group of people like that, either someone you tell them where to go-the
government probably-or they would panic and start running again, especially if
they saw one of the dead’

‘But still,’ Nicole tried to
smile, her strength had returned, ‘if we keep moving we have a greater chance
of finding them than if we stayed in one spot.’ I smiled at her, enjoying the optimism.

We sat for a while in silence, until
Wendy began to rub her head. ‘Are you alright?’ Todd said as he moved closer to
her

‘I’m fine, just a headache,’
Wendy replied

‘It’s probably because you haven’t had any sleep,’ I told her, ‘or from when you fainted, I’ll go see if Caleb found any ibuprofen
or paracetamol.’ I left and went into the room where Caleb had left everything
he had found so far. There were clothes, heavy things to use as weapons, and
some medicine, mainly painkillers but there were also some bandages that may
prove useful. I got two pills out of one of the bottles, but paused before I left
the room seeing a leather jacket on top of the pile. I smiled slightly, I had
always wanted one, but I never had much money and I wasn’t sure I could pull it
off. Well it’s not like I’ll get many more chances I thought to myself.

I walked back into the room where
Wendy and the others were waiting. When I gave Wendy the pills she quickly
swallowed them, stood, then said, ‘I’m going to try and rest.’ Nicole stood too
and followed her. Todd looked at me, noticing my new apparel, he smiled as he
said, ‘nice jacket’

‘Shut up,’ I replied and smiled, embarrassed.
We sat for a few moments as our smiles slowly left our faces. I took a deep
breath, gathered my courage and said, ‘we have to go to the police station’

‘We can’t,’ replied Todd almost
before I’d finished, he knew what was coming

‘What are we doing Todd? Do you
know cause I don’t! The police have weapons and by now they must have some form
of plan’

‘How do know that? Do you think
they saw this coming? No one did! You were right Will we have to find people we
trust. Do you think that if you or I were about to be attacked strangers would
risk their lives to save us? We can’t be sure of that but we can be sure that
people like Wendy, Nicole and YOU would!’ by this time the others had heard our
fighting and come to see what was wrong. But none of us had said anything to
stop Todd because instead of his words making us panic, they brought us hope.
Hope that what we were doing was right.

Nicole finally walked over to us
and asked, ‘so where are we going next?’

‘Daphne’s house is the closest,’
Wendy replied, walking over to where they had mapped out all our friends’
houses

‘No,’ I said, standing up, ‘A
friend of mine and Nicole’s lives closer, in between here and Daphne’s’

‘Sebastian,’ Nicole said,
remembering

‘Alright,’ said Todd, gathering
up the maps, ‘that’s where we’re going next.’ And with that Todd simply became
the leader, although I doubt he even realised what had just happened but we all
recognised it. Caleb and I sorted out what was useful from the scavenged pile
and loaded it into the car. We had silently and unanimously decided we were
leaving now. Nicole and I were in the car that Caleb had found, a Ute, while
Wendy, Todd and Caleb took my mother’s car. I didn’t want to go near it
anymore.

The drive to Sebastian’s was
mostly quiet, but we did occasionally hear a crash, siren or scream in the
distance, those few reminders that we were not alone became less and less scary
as time went by. And that scared me. We began to turn into Sebastian’s street,
but any hopes I had of finding my friends with their families unharmed and with
a large pile of weapons had been left at Nicole’s. And they became even further
impossible as we searched Sebastian’s house and surroundings but found no sign
of him, his family or anything. Until Caleb, Nicole and I entered his backyard
and found a deadwoman feasting on a fresh kill.

It hadn’t noticed us yet, but
still none of us moved for fear it would hear us. But then Wendy come out of
the other door, not noticing our situation, ‘so we didn’t find anything but’-her
words cut short as she saw the deadman. But it was too late as the deadwoman
began to run with great speed toward the closest of us. Me. I swung the pole I was
still using and hit her in the shoulder with the heavy end, knocking her to the
ground. Caleb lifted and swung his axe, burying it into her head. Todd came out
from the house, hearing the commotion, ‘Holy crap,’ was all he could say

‘So,’ I explained, walking toward
the victim, ‘he should have a weapon’

‘A gun,’ Todd said, realising. I
hated doing this, knowing it would give me nightmares for years to come, but I searched
the mangled corpse and found what we had been hoping for, a gun. ‘So, uh,’ I started,
holding it up awkwardly, ‘does anyone know how to use one of these?’ I looked
around no one responded. Until Todd stepped forward hesitantly, ‘I-I might.’ I
was all too eager to hand it over, knowing that however useful they could be in
this situation, they’re also dangerous. Todd studied it for a few moments
before doing something with it, checking it works I guessed. Todd walked over
to the corpse and grabbed a holster and something else from it, he held up the
other item, ‘ammo,’ he explained. None of us cared that it was only one gun or
that it could cause more trouble than it was worth, it was a symbol of hope and
progress. As well as one of power.

My heart stopped when Wendy was attacked. It may not have
been smart but I had trusted all of my hope on my friends, in a second that hope
was shattered as the dead gripped Wendy and went to bite her. Time stood still
as I reached for her, but I was too far away. Then time rushed back into motion
as the deadman's head exploded as Todd emerged from the house and reacted
faster than I thought possible. Wendy was safe for now but we all stood for
several silent moments, Todd and Wendy covered in blood and me wearing the
dried remains of my previous kill. And the deadman hanging from Wendy’s leg
which he still had in a death-like grip.

We were snapped out of our horror by Caleb emerging from an abandoned
house shouting, ‘what happened? I heard’-he stopped as he say the scene and
began to retch, moving behind a car to throw up. Todd was the first of us to
speak, ‘we gotta get that off of you,’ and he went to pull the corpse’s hand
off of her

‘Wait,’ I managed to get out before he acted, ‘their strong
and Wendy’s covered in blood, if you break her skin, she might be infected’

‘Right, right,’ Todd still looked shocked. We stood there for
a few more seconds, Caleb emerging from his hiding spot and me scratching my
head trying to come up with something smart. But Wendy finally got fed up and
with a perfectly calm expression turned to Todd and said, ‘give me the axe’

‘What?’ Todd looked as though he just remembered he was still
holding the blood-soaked axe

‘Give me the axe!’ Wendy said in an increasingly louder
voice. Todd handed Wendy the axe trying to not look and the corpse. Then before
any of us could stop her Wendy swung the axe and cut the deadman's arm of at
the mid-forearm. Caleb, Todd and I stood stupefied as Wendy, with no change of
expression hopped off the bonnet, the corpse falling to the ground, pealed the
hand off her leg and threw it beside the corpse. ‘Good,’ she said looking at
us, ‘was that so hard?’ then she fainted.

We drove on, Caleb driving (he at least had a license), Todd
in the back cradling Wendy’s head and me in the passenger seat. ‘So where are
we going now?’ Caleb asked, stopping at an intersection. That’s the million
dollar question, I thought, should I keep going on my previous plan? To gather people
I trust and want to protect? Is that really the best thing to do? Right now we
were just 4 people in their early twenties, one unconscious, armed only with a
pole and two axes. At least I got a change of clothes and some spares for Todd
and Wendy. ‘Will?’ Caleb was staring at me. For some reason he trusts me, I have
to make a decision fast. ‘We’re going to Nicole’s,’ I finally answered, ‘she’s
a good friend of ours, her family lives around here right Todd?’ I turned to
look at him back he was still staring at Wendy. I called again, ‘Todd?’ He
finally hears me and looks up, although he still looks out of it

‘Um, yeah, sure,’ Todd shakes his head, looking more focused,
‘yeah just left up here.’

With Todd’s help we make it to Nicole’s street without seeing
any dead. We didn't see any of the living either. I don’t know whether this
made me more confident or more afraid. As we approached her house I was almost
given a heart attack as Todd shouted suddenly, ‘stop! Stop!’ Caleb stopped the
car, we turned and saw that Wendy was finally waking up. I got out of the car
and helped Todd put Wendy on the ground as she started to open her eyes. ‘Wendy,
are you okay?’ Todd asked, Wendy propped herself up and looked around

‘Where are we?’ she asked, still out of it, ‘What happened?’

‘You fainted remember? We’re at Nicole’s.’ Wendy suddenly
remembered what happened and what was going on, ‘Is she alright?’ But then I saw
a sight that broke my heart. I had always loved Nicole’s family, they always
seemed closer, happier and friendlier than mine, so to see the door to their
family home broken down made any illusion I had of the world returning to
normal disappear.

‘Oh no,’ was all I could say, Todd and Wendy stood up and
followed my gaze, Todd just stared but Wendy gasped and put her hands to her
mouth. Caleb checked out the others houses as the three of us approached the
house slowly, not wanting to see but knowing we would have to check. But all
our inhibitions and hesitations went out the window as we heard a quiet crying
sound coming from inside the house. I almost re-broke the door as I hastily made
my way into the house, and though it wasn't what I had hoped to see it was what
I didn't see that made me smile. No blood, no bodies, just Nicole sitting in
the middle of the living room, crying. The house became eerily grey as the sun
began to set, I walked up to Nicole and put my hand on her shoulder. She jumped
at the touch and span around, but then hugged me fiercely and began crying all
over again.

It was getting late so we decided to stay the night at Nicole’s
and plan what to do next. Todd and Wendy had found a map and were mapping out
were they could go next, Caleb was still scavenging from other houses. I think
he still felt uncomfortable here, but I couldn't blame him, he didn't know us
and it’s not like our situation inspires trust. When Nicole calmed down, which
was relatively fast for the amount of crying the situation should require, I asked
her what had happened, ‘where is your family?’ she was on the brink of tears
again

‘I don’t know,’ she replied, I had never seen her like this, ‘I
was coming home from work when I heard what was happening, I got a call from my
dad but when I picked up no one was there. I came home and the door was broken,
no one was home, and I found this.’ Nicole opened her hands and I saw a phone
in her hands, I assumed it was her dad’s.
I took a deep breath and put my worries and questions out of my mind, I had to
focus, ‘The four of us are going to try and gather as many people as we know or
find that can help us, are you going to come with us?’ She paused, looking at
me with her mouth half open

‘I don’t know,’ she replied her breathing returning to
normal, ‘I’ll think about it, I’m not sure I want to leave here’

‘Alright,’ I stood, ‘we’re staying here for the night, we can
talk more in the morning.’ Caleb returned with a large pile of possibly useful
clothes, bags and medicines as well as the keys for another car. He, Todd and I
decided on a watch schedule. Caleb took the first shift and I settled down and
waited till my shift. I wasn't getting any sleep tonight.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

I started the car and left the driveway, and that was when
the chaos started. I found out later that there was a news broadcast over the
television and radio, some people stayed in their homes and waited to be told
what to do, others got into their cars and drove, mostly to the police station
or hospital. Others just ran, the worst of it were those that had recently had
vaccinations, the reporters had figured out the pattern but I’m not sure it
helped calm anyone. I had to stop the car several times or risk running over
people in the street or crashing into other cars. I considered leaving and
continuing on foot but I realised that even in a stationary car I am safer than
if I were outside. I even surprised myself by how calmly I was approaching the
situation, I guess the past few hours have really made the reality sink in. I
swore to myself I would never panic or freeze again. I was kidding myself.

Just as quick as it started the chaos dissipated, all the
people who had left their homes had left the area, although I could still hear
the commotion, I couldn’t see it. This allowed me to pick up the speed about,
and just when I felt confident enough to start really moving, I screeched to a
halt again as a man about my age leapt in front of my, screaming, ‘let me in
quick!’ I didn’t have time to weigh my options or make up my mind, it was
either let him in or watch him die as I saw three of the dead approach from
behind him. I opened the door and almost took off before he jumped in. I saw
the dead come closer and rage filled me again, tempting me to run them over. I
took a deep breath and allowed myself to reason, I should crash the car before I
left the street simply to sate my anger. I drove on past them.

The man turned to me as we left the street, for the first
time noticing the state of my clothes, ‘what happened to you?’

‘What do you think?’ I replied, I may be proud of my achievement
but I don’t take pleasure in reliving it

‘Were you bitten?’ he asked quietly

‘What? Why would you ask that?’

‘The news report, didn't you hear it?’ I looked at him
questioningly as he continued, ‘The infection i-it is transferred through
bodily fluids, like saliva… or blood.’ I had a momentary panic, I was covered
in the dead man’s blood, had I been infected? No I couldn't have been, I didn't
scratch myself when I fell or get bitten so there is no way anything got into
my system. ‘No,’ I finally answered, ‘I wasn't infected, but to be on the safe side
I should probably find new clothes. I’m Will by the way’

‘Caleb,’ he answered, I could tell by his tone he didn't
trust my answer, but he quickly hid his suspicions with another question, ‘Where
are you going? The police station?’

‘No, everybody will be going there we should probably avoid
large groups of people, it would only take one dead, zombie, whatever to start
a riot. Plus the more people there are, the more chance that one of them is
infected.’ He looked at me weirdly again, ‘zombies. It sounds so insane, I can’t
even say it without sounding crazy, how are you so calm?’

‘I have no idea,’ I sad with a nervous laugh, ‘I just am, I
guess I have to be, and if it helps I've been calling them “the dead” so maybe
that’ll help’

‘It’s just so insane!’ he took a breath, ‘I gotta calm down.’
After a few more breaths he spoke again, ‘so if we’re not going to the police
station, where are we going?’

‘A friend’s,’ I replied, now not feeling so sure of my
decision, ‘he can help, he was probably better prepared than I am’

‘How could you prepare for this?’

‘Well I don’t mean he was intentionally preparing, maybe
equipped would be a better word.’

We were getting closer now, I started to see more people on
the streets, as well as more cars. Unfortunately this meant more traffic, and just
as I was about to get off the main roads the traffic grinded to a halt. ‘Great,’
I said, taking my hands off the wheel, ‘now what?’ We sat in silence for about
ten minutes barely moving while people carrying children, possessions, even
pets, weaved their way through the cars. ‘Maybe we’d be better off walking,’
Caleb suggested

‘No, what if a deadman was in between those cars?’ I replied ,
‘there’d be nowhere to run’

‘I guess… it just seems like we’re sitting here doing
nothing. Plus I think your clothes are starting to smell’ he said, wrinkling
his nose

‘Um,’ I had forgotten about this, ‘that’s not my clothes’

‘What is it then?’

‘It’s the dead deadman in the boot.’ Caleb had to take a few
breaths, his eyes closed as he said through close teeth, ‘why have you got one
of those THINGS in the boot?’

‘This was before the news broadcast, I had to prove to my
friend that I wasn’t playing a prank on him.’ Caleb sighed again, ‘whatever’ I think
he, too, was beginning to accept the situation. Good. I can’t trust someone
unless they’re prepared to do whatever’s necessary. When did I become so
serious? At least I wouldn’t through him out if he didn’t accept it. I realised
I was having a conversation with myself. I think I’m becoming unhinged.

‘That’s it,’ I say, suddenly turning the wheel and accelerating,
driving onto the footpath and knocking over mailboxes. At least the footpaths
were now clear as the people on foot got closer to wherever they decided was
safe. Caleb had grabbed anything he could would onto in the care, too scared to
say anything. As I finally got to the end of the main road I was able to turn
onto the street I wanted to, which was thankfully clear. It wasn’t until now
that I started to worry whether or not Todd and Wendy would still be home when I
got there. What if they had decided to run? I may never find them. I was broken
out of my thoughts by a shout from Caleb who had finally regained his voice, ’you’re
insane!’

‘It worked didn’t it’ half angry half exhilarated from breaking
such a basic recognized rule, ‘and it’s not like anyone’s going to be using
their mailboxes now anyway.’ Caleb made a strange tutting sound and shook his head,
I guess he hadn’t accepted the situation as much as I thought he had.

We finally made it to Todd’s and I was amazed to see them
simply standing outside their house with slightly confused looks on their
faces. As I got out of the car their faces became even more confused. ‘Will?’
Wendy asked smiling, ‘When did you get your license’

‘Do you know what’s going on,’ Todd asked me, ‘we heard
screaming and cars but when we came out there was no one here.’ I stared at
them incredulously, how could they not know what’s going on? ‘Haven’t you guys
been listening to the radio or watching TV?’ I asked them

‘Um… no,’ Todd looked sheepish, ‘we’ve been… busy’

‘Ugh,’ I replied, ever since they got their own place a month
ago it’d been like this, ‘it’s like I told you over the phone, the dead are
rising’

‘Yeah right Will,’ Wendy replied humorously

‘No he’s right,’ Caleb said exiting the car

‘Who’s this?’ Todd asked

‘Caleb, I guess I’m with Will? He saved my life’

‘Look,’ I said, fed up, ‘come with me I can prove it to you,’
I led them around the car and opened the boot. The smell hit them like a train
and they instantly backed away, but when they realised what it was they moved
closer, unwilling to believe. ‘And there are more like them,’ explained Caleb, ‘everyone
who got the most recent flu vaccination was infected and they’re infecting
others,’ he paused, ‘did you…’

‘No,’ Todd replied, gaining his composure before Wendy, ‘we-we
never got vaccinated, we didn’t even know there was one available.’

After explaining my plan to gather people we trust and find a
way to survive they quickly agreed to join. Todd went inside to get something
to fight with as Caleb looked around for some supplies like clothes. Wendy sat
down next to me, ‘so you killed that one in the boot?’

‘Yeah,’ I replied quietly, I was fiddling with my
pole-weapon, ‘this actually helped’

‘Are you alright?’

‘I’m not infected if that’s what you mean’

‘Come on Will, you know that’s not what I mean,’ She moved so
I was looking at her, ‘I know you, you’ve never even been in a fight before,
are you really okay with what happened?’

‘I didn’t have a choice okay?’ I was frustrated now, ‘besides,
it’s not alive anymore it was dead, I saw it kill someone right outside my
house.’ Wendy frowned and sat on the car bonnet, ‘alright, but if you ever want
to talk’-

‘Wendy’

‘No, listen’-

‘No, Wendy look out!’ But it was too late the deadman
approaching grabbed her arm and went in to bite.